Was it Real?
by Lelila
Summary: Dick and Kory have a talk after the events of Titans #3 and discover there may have been more at work than just Trigon's sons.


A/N: This takes place after the events of _Titans #3_, which is the current issue. In it, (spoiler alert!) Dick and Kory (Nightwing and Starfire) sleep together, supposedly being influenced to do so by Trigon's sons, Raven's brothers. I'm sure this won't fit in the timeline after the next couple of issues, but it was fun to play with.

This is my first Dick/Kory piece, as opposed to the massive Robin/Starfire pieces I've got up over in the Cartoon section. I'm really much more familiar with the cartoon versions of these characters, and have really just started reading the comics, so apologies if anybody seems out of character.

This scene has nothing to do with, indeed is not in the same universe as, the _Falling_ stuff I have posted over in the Cartoon section. And yes, I'm going back to writing that right now. This just wouldn't leave me alone.

The _Titans_ belong to DC Comics. Trust me…I ain't them.

_Was it Real?_

By Lelila

After a confrontation with Raven's brothers that turned out to be a lot of effort for very little gain, Dick, Roy, Donna, Raven, Garfield, Wally and Kory dragged themselves back to Titans Tower. At least no one had really gotten hurt.

Day had long ago turned to night, and Vic had said that debriefing could wait until morning. Donna, Raven and Wally had promptly gone off to bed. Dick followed Gar and Roy to the kitchen to find something to eat.

"So…desire, huh?" Roy taunted, cracking a soda.

"Forget it, Roy," Dick replied, rummaging around in the fridge. "You're not getting any details."

"Nothing? C'mon…not even how gorgeous she still looks?"

Dick pulled a container of cold chicken from the back of the fridge and slammed the door shut. "Let's just say nothing happened that hasn't happened before."

Roy spread his hands in desperation. "That could be anything, man! You were together for years!"

"Aw, let it go, Roy," Gar put in, chewing a PB&J. "You know Bird Boy here won't say anything."

Dick glowered at the changeling and took a bite out of a drumstick.

The banter died for a moment and the click-clack of Kory's boots were heard in the hallway. They paused, and then faded away.

The kitchen's inhabitants looked at each other. "Ooooooo…" Roy finally commented.

Dick scowled and shoved the container of chicken into the archer's chest. "Here…eat something," he told him before turning to go after Kory.

TtTtTtT

He found her sitting on the steps in front of the Tower. "Kory?" he asked softly.

She glanced over her shoulder. "Hello, Richard."

"Are you okay?" he asked, taking a seat next to her.

"I am pondering today's events."

For a split second, Dick felt like a gawky teenager again. "Yeah…who knew Raven had brothers?"

She glanced sidelong at him, a patient smile briefly flitting over her lips. "That is not what I am pondering."

Dick heaved a great sigh, letting his shoulders slump and falling forward to rest his elbows on his knees. "Kory…"

She stopped him with a hand to his knee. "I am not asking anything of you. And I realize that much of that was due to the influence of Trigon's sons. But I am wondering if perhaps they were not merely magnifying what already existed." She looked up at him. "Garfield and Raven have never been the best of friends, and, while they were being very irrational, there were grains of truth in Wally and Donna's arguments."

Dick's eyes narrowed. "I suppose that make sense. And…we were together a long time; we almost got married. There will always be a special place in my heart for you. But…that doesn't mean that we should be together now."

"Perhaps not." Kory cast her eyes downward. "But I meant it when I said that I think of you when I'm lonely. Did you mean what you said?"

Dick rewound the events of the day in his head. "What did I say?" he asked when he couldn't come up with it.

Kory's patient smile returned. "You said that you think of me even when you are not alone."

Dick let out an embarrassed laugh. "I didn't mean it like_ that_," he blustered. "Well…maybe a couple times, but not generally." He looked sheepish for a moment, and Kory's smile broadened. "What I meant was…I think of you. At weird moments. Somebody will say something, and I'll think, 'Kory would think that was funny,' or I'll pick something up in a store to buy it for you and carry it around a while before I realize I don't even know where you are."

Kory's smile faded. "A lot has happened."

Dick nodded and the pair lapsed into silence, unsure what else to say.

The silence was broken a few minutes later as Kory started to chuckle for no apparent reason.

"What?" Dick asked.

"Are you telling me," she snickered, "that there have been others?"

Dick started to laugh too. "Are you telling me there haven't been?" He waggled a finger at her. "I attended one of your weddings, remember?"

Kory fixed her face into a regal look. "That was a marriage of state. They are not always consummated."

"And you're telling me that one wasn't?" Despite the bad feelings surrounding that affair, Dick kept his tone light.

Kory pursed her lips and smiled again, but looked away. "There have been others. Let's leave it at that."

"Me too."

"None like you, though." Kory's voice was soft.

Dick heaved another sigh. "Kory…"

"Let me ask you another question. When you divided us up into teams, why did you choose me to be your partner? Why not Raven? Or Donna? Or Roy? Garfield and I get along well enough; you could have sent me with him."

Dick dropped his head into his hands. "I don't know. It felt right at the time." He paused, and the picked his head up. "That could have been Trigon's influence too."

"Perhaps. But are you sure there wasn't something else?"

"I…" Dick swallowed. Damn…why did she have to know him so well? "I wanted some time alone with you. It's been so long, and we really haven't had a chance to talk, and I…I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Kory smiled one of her incandescent smiles. "Still protecting me after all this time."

He smiled back. "Old habits die hard."

Kory reached out and took his hand.

Dick squeezed it, shuffling his boots against the stairs. "So are we…do you want to…?"

Kory bit her lip and dropped her eyelids, obviously considering. "Let us…leave the door open to the possibility," she finally answered.

Dick creased his brow. What kind of answer was that?

Before he could question her, Kory leaned in and kissed him firmly before standing and turning away. "Good night, Richard."

"Kory…" he called after her, but she didn't respond. He dropped his head into his hands again and heaved another sigh.


End file.
